Police issue Canada-wide warrants for 3 men in murder of Rexdale man

Canada-wide arrest warrants have been issued for three men in connection with a Rexdale shooting that claimed the life of a 26-year-old man earlier this month.

Blain Gerrado Grindley was found suffering from gunshot wounds inside a townhouse complex near John Garland and Humber College boulevards on the afternoon of May 1.

The 26-year-old died at the scene. His death marked Toronto’s 22nd homicide of 2019.

At the time, police said they were looking into whether an altercation took place prior to police being called to the building for “unknown trouble.”

Det. Steve Henkel refused to elaborate on the series of events that preceded officers finding an “unresponsive” Grindley collapsed in the apartment unit.

“The exact location the victim was found within his unit, the exact location where he was shot is part of our investigation, it cannot be disclosed,” he said during a news conference.

The homicide detective stayed relatively mum on many details pertaining to the investigation, but said investigators had narrowed in on three men believed to be involved in the murder.

On Thursday morning, Canada-wide warrants were issued for Michael Smith, 29, of Brampton, Andrae Douse, 21, of Mississauga and Dayne Sitladeen, 27, also of Mississauga, for the charge of first-degree murder.

“All three of these individuals are to be considered armed and dangerous,” Henkel said.

“As of this point forward, I would strongly caution anyone who may consider providing any form of assistance to these males in avoiding capture – you too may be subject to criminal charges.”

Henkel said an extensive video canvass was conducted within Toronto as well as in the Greater Toronto Area which led police to identify the three suspects.

Investigators have conducted interviews within the Rexdale community since Grindley’s death, as well as some on the outskirts of the city and Peel Region. Henkel said that their search for the suspects has stretched “outside of the GTA,” but he would not provide specifics.

“We’ve had support from the community,” Henkel said. “We’ve had interviews conducted that led us to the warrants being issued today.”

While video surveillance has been obtained, Henkel said there are no plans at this time to release it, noting that “the video forms the evidence” in the case.

“This investigation is continuing and far from over,” he said.

Grindley’s family identified him as the victim that same afternoon. He was described as a hardworking man who was often at church with his family.

“Blain was a wonderful young man, extremely quiet, just kept to himself,” Marcus Martinez, the pastor of a local church attended by Grindley’s family, told CP24. “He had wonderful parents. His mother is a god-fearing woman, his father was hard working people. It is a loss to our society.”

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the three suspects identified today are being asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.